1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothing for the disabled, more particularly, garments which may be removed while a person remains seated. Such a garment is particularly useful to those unable to stand or for whom standing is difficult without assistance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Clothing having special openings and breakaway parts is well known in the garment industry. Such clothing addresses very particular problems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,168,198, issued to H.P. Andrews discloses a jacket in which most of the seams are not stitched but are attached to one another using snaps. When a portion of the jacket is caught in moving machinery, that portion will become detached along the seams by disengaging fasteners thereon, allowing the wearer to escape before being injured by the machinery.
U.S. Pat. No. 341,549, issued to J.P. Weimer discloses a raincoat made for street car drivers. In the front of the raincoat are a series of pockets all covered by a shield or flaps allowing access through the raincoat for various purposes. The raincoat is buttoned in the back, rather than the front, to prevent the rain and wind from entering through a front opening in the coat as the driver in 1886 was primarily exposed to the weather from his front. U.S. Pat. No. 1,028,464, issued to C.C. Holcomb and U.S. Pat. No. 1,626,450, issued to J.W. Cannon both disclose burial garments. These garments are open at the back to provide easy application of the garments by the undertaker while maintaining the appearance of tailor made garments.
Not withstanding the existence of such prior art clothing, it remains clear that there is a need for clothing which will permit a seated disabled person to put on or take off a garment when they are unable to stand. Such a garment must be easily removable from the person's arms and body without the strenuous movement that would be necessary to remove a garment from beneath a seated person.